Will U.S. take climate change seriously?

Is the U.S. government ready to take climate change seriously?

It looks like that may be the case. After years of inaction by the federal government, the Senate last week narrowly approved legislation dubbed the Inflation Reduction Act on a 51-50 vote with the vice president casting the tie-breaking vote. The bill is scheduled to go to the House of Representatives this week where it is expected to pass.

While the legislation, which is 755 pages long, is both a climate and tax package, much of it deals with climate issues.

As is usually the case with these controversial bills, neither side is entirely satisfied. Many climate activists feel it does not go far enough while opponents feel it will do nothing to reduce inflation and will only increase taxes.

According to published media reports the bill includes a record $369 billion in new spending to tackle global warming and promote clean energy. It also has several provisions that would prolong the life of fossil fuel infrastructure that were a concession to Democratic Sen. Joe Manchin of West Virginia. Manchin’s support was crucial to supporters for passage of the legislation.

What is noteworthy about the legislation is that for decades it has been nearly impossible to get any kind of major climate legislation through the Senate. This despite the increasing reality of climate change and its effect.

The amount approved is far smaller than the $3 trillion that the administration originally sought and the $2.2 trillion legislation that passed the House last year. Still, it is the largest amount that the federal government has ever committed to slow global warming and reduce the demand for fossil fuels.

According to Bloomberg, the nonpartisan Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget has estimated it will put approximately $385 billion into combating climate change and helping U.S. energy production through changes that encourage the cutting of carbon emissions. Proponents of the bill have said it would reduce carbon emissions by about 40 percent by 2030. The administration has set a goal of 50 to 52 percent below 2005 levels by that date.

Much of that funding will go to tax credits to steer consumers to electric vehicles and electric utilities to renewable energy sources like wind or solar power.

The bill is not without its problems and there are still many obstacles to overcome for the U.S. to reach its energy and climate goals.

Car manufacturers are finding a market for electric vehicles and sales are increasing. However, they are still expensive, and there are not nearly enough charging stations to make them practical for long distance travel in a country as large as the United States.

It will be a long time, if ever, before wind and solar can replace all fossil fuels in the production of electricity and the infrastructure is not in place to get that electricity to where it is needed.

While the bill includes a tax credit that could save dozens of nuclear power plants from being closed, the country also needs to reconsider nuclear energy as an alternative. It is currently estimated that between 22 and 38 percent of the country’s nuclear reactors are at risk of decommissioning during the 2030s depending on natural gas prices, according to an analysis by the Rhodium Group.

This legislation will certainly not stop global warming, but it is a start. Yes, it is true that unless countries such as China get on board it will be hard to reach the climate goals set by agreements such as the Paris Accord. Perhaps with the U.S. setting an example at least some of the other nations lagging behind will be encouraged to join the international community in tackling the climate issue.

Technology will continue to change and even new ways to approach the problem may surface. And, of course, there is a role for individuals to play in reducing the effects of climate changes.

Still, as many have said, don’t let the perfect be the enemy of the good.